Pest Control Clacton – Getting to Grips with Gulls

Seaside resorts such as Clacton-on-Sea, Southend and Frinton have been recently reaping the rewards of the rise in numbers of British people holidaying in the UK. According to a survey published by QHotels, as many as three quarters of the UK adult population expect to take at least one short staycation in 2016. It is thought this shift in mind-set is down to several reasons, including the cost of holidaying abroad, the current fear about travelling outside the UK, and the desire to take a weekend break nearer to home.

This all spells great news for UK based hospitality industries. Whether you run a hotel, B&B, or campsite in Clacton-on-Sea, you will know about the importance of keeping your customers happy and relaxed. The better the experience they have, the more likely your customers are to repeat their stay with you in the future.

If you have a problem with pests, however, this can seriously impact on the quality of your customer’s vacation. Whether you have an issue with gulls, bed bugs, wasps or mice, our friendly team at Essex and Suffolk Pest Solutions can help. We provide pest control in Clacton-on-Sea and all over Essex and beyond.

In addition to our one-off visits, we also offer pest control contracts in Suffolk and Essex. So, whether you are in the tourist industry, or have another business in the area, you can spread the cost of pest-related services throughout the year.

About Clacton-on-Sea

Since the 19th century, Clacton-on-Sea has been a family destination, attracting holidaymakers from London (which is only 50 miles away), and further afield. Roughly about 6,000 people are employed in tourism in the area including in hotels, leisure industries, and attractions such as the popular Seaquarium and pier. Day-trippers and long or short stay holiday makers help swell the town’s population in the summer months and bring vital revenue into the town.

The Problem of Gulls in Seaside Resorts

One way to maintain the attractiveness of Clacton as a holiday destination is by keeping pests at bay. Gulls have always been a nuisance in seaside towns, and complaints of the birds being too noisy, nesting on roofs, raiding bins and swooping down to take food from people’s hands have been around for centuries.

However, there is a real fear that seagull attacks in UK resort towns are rising. There has been a number of newspaper reports in recent months about gulls being aggressive towards dogs and swiping ice creams and chips from people’s hands – and, in one particular incident, a seagull selfie went viral! After an attack on a pet tortoise called Stig, in Cornwall, even Prime Minister David Cameron got involved in the debate, calling for a ‘big conversation’ about the issue.

Despite the horror stories, however, the UK gull population is actually in decline. And, like all wild birds, gulls are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which prevents them being intentionally killed or injured, or active nests being destroyed.

However, if your area is besieged by gulls, the fact that these are protected species doesn’t mean you just have to sit there and take it. There are various actions you can take to prevent gulls being a nuisance, including securing bins and putting up posters advising customers not to feed the gulls.

In addition to this, gull related pest control measures can be carried out under licence if there is a public health and safety concern (but not simply if they are just creating too much noise). Bird wiring or bird spikes systems can be used, and roof nets can be put in place to prevent gulls accessing roofs. At Essex and Suffolk Pest Solutions we can implement these and advise you on other measures you can take.

We provide a number of solutions to keep pests at bay and help keep your guests happy during their stay. In addition, we have an excellent track record for customer services and can attend visits in unmarked vans on request.

Essex and Suffolk Pest Solutions offer a wide range of pest control services to homes and businesses in all parts of Essex, including Clacton-on-Sea. Click on the link above to find out more about our pest control contracts.